HB89 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Millican

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

E-911 services, statewide board established to replace Commercial Radio Service Board, service charge, collect and deposited into E-911 fund and distribute to local E-911 district to implement enhanced E-911, procedures and requirements provided, Secs. 11-98-1, 11-98-2, 11-98-4, 11-98-5, 11-98-6, 11-98-7, 11-98-9 am'd; Secs. 11-98-4.1, 11-98-5.2, 11-98-5.3, 11-98-13, 11-98-13.1, 11-98-14, 11-98-15 added; Secs. 11-98-5.1, 11-98-7.1, 11-98-8 repealed (2012-20150)

Summary

HB89 creates a single statewide 911 charge and a statewide 911 Board to fund and manage E-911 services across Alabama, replacing the old CMRS Board.

What This Bill Does

It creates a statewide emergency service charge on all voice services and establishes a statewide 911 Board to collect the charge and distribute funds. It replaces and merges the CMRS Board and its funds into a new 911 Fund, distributing money to communications districts and CMRS providers to build, operate, and maintain E-911 systems, including Phase II capabilities. It also sets up a Permanent Oversight Commission to review rates and long-term planning, requires audits, and introduces a prepaid wireless 911 charge mechanism to expand funding. The act includes details on distributions, baselines, reporting, and sunset provisions for the new system.

Who It Affects

• Voice service subscribers in Alabama pay the statewide 911 charge on their regular bills, with the charge collected by their service providers and remitted to the 911 Board.
• Communications districts (ECDs) and CMRS providers receive monthly distributions from the 911 Fund to fund, operate, and maintain E-911 systems, while the 911 Board oversees collection and distribution.

Key Provisions

• Creates the statewide 911 Board to replace the CMRS Board and to establish/collect the statewide emergency telephone service charge.
• Imposes a single statewide 911 charge on all active voice connections and CMRS connections with a place of primary use in Alabama; charges are billed separately and remitted to the 911 Board; initial charge is designed to meet baseline funding needs.
• Establishes the 911 Fund (merging the CMRS Fund) to hold revenues and distribute them to districts and CMRS providers for E-911 equipment, maintenance, and Phase II costs, with defined distribution formulas and a monthly payout schedule.
• Creates the Permanent Oversight Commission on 911 to study and approve rate adjustments, oversee the long-term plan, and report to the Legislature; includes a specific appointment and governance structure.
• Adds a prepaid wireless 911 charge (collected by the Department of Revenue) that will be transferred to the 911 Board and then into the 911 Fund, with procedures for administration, remittance, and refunds where applicable.
• Requires regular audits (by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and independent third-party auditors) and sets sunset rules for the 911 Board, including periodic renewal and potential legislative continuation.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

E-911